


No Thanks Required

by PeaceLilies



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Newly established relationship, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Intimacy, PTSD, SHIRO HAS DIMPLES, Scars, Vulnerability, Xenobio, rated m for one f-bomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:14:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28678719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeaceLilies/pseuds/PeaceLilies
Summary: Shiro wakes up from a nightmare and Keith is there to help him through it
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 76





	No Thanks Required

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bioplast_hero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioplast_hero/gifts).



> A gift for Hiro as the winner of my fic giveaway! It was so fun to play around with Shiro being so vulnerable and Keith taking care of him, as well as exploring some more Xenobio, and the overall sweetness of how good it is to see a character struggling and then have them being well-taken care of TToTT 
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you to Ren, who is the most amazing beta and friend, who helped make this fic happen!

Keith lay awake, staring up at the ceiling of the apartment, not quite sleepy enough to sleep, his mind whirring. There were times that all this felt like a dream. That it was too good to be true. He turned on his side, tucking one hand under his head. 

Shiro was sleeping next to him. It had taken him a little while to fall asleep, tossing and turning a bit before finally settling. They were still figuring some things out, like who put their underwear in the top left drawer of the dresser, and if it was okay if they held hands in the mess. Their relationship was still new and fragile. He supposed that it would feel this way for a bit. They’d only been dating for a few months, but he eagerly awaited the ease of being in an established relationship. 

This was all new to him, sharing his life, an intimate part of himself, with someone else. But it was  _ Shiro _ . Shiro had been such a huge part of his life for so long that it didn’t feel much different to transition from friends to lovers. Exciting and nerve-wracking all at once, but he loved this man, more than he had ever loved anyone. 

Shiro, who accepted him just as he was, saw things in him that no one else saw or even understood. Keith had been so anxious about Shiro being privy to these private aspects of himself, things he believed that no one would ever love, like how stubborn he was, or taciturn, or impulsive. And beyond that, allowing Shiro to see his more  _ intimate _ Galra traits, things he was still working on figuring out. His purring and trilling, nest building… kneading. He didn’t even blink an eye at his scenting and marking, either. He just took it all in stride. 

Keith was infinitely grateful for all that Shiro had done and continued to do for him. He hoped that Shiro knew how grateful he was and that he wanted to take care of Shiro, too, the way Shiro had taken care of him. He sighed, watching Shiro sleep, and slowly drifted off himself. 

Keith woke up to the feeling of Shiro twitching next to him. He was a light sleeper, which was both a blessing and a curse. He sighed, figuring it was just a one-off and he could go back to sleep. But then Shiro started making noises. 

He opened his eyes. Shiro was within arms reach from him. The room was dark, but he could see him clearly. He was mumbling and making pained noises. Keith could see that he was sweating, tossing and turning. 

Keith sat up, uncertain of what to do. This was definitely a nightmare or a night terror from the look of things. He was familiar with them. They had all been struggling with them, but it was the first time he’d seen Shiro have one. 

His heart thumped in his chest, wanting to wake Shiro, but knowing that that was a bad idea. The dream needed to run its course. Either Shiro would wake up and Keith could comfort him or he’d calm down and get back to sleep. 

Shiro was mumbling things, tossing and turning, one of his hands curling into the bedsheet. His brow was furrowed, teeth clenched, and Keith could smell  _ fear _ on him. It was cloying, and made him anxious. Shiro was in pain and Keith was desperate for him to wake up, to help. Shiro finally woke up with a start. He was breathing heavily, as if he’d been running or fighting, and Keith could clearly see the dampness of sweat at his hairline. 

“Shiro…?” he said quietly and he saw him jump, before coming back to himself. 

“Keith…” Shiro murmured, tossing an arm over his eyes, “I was… dreaming…”

Keith scooted a little closer, being mindful, not wanting to spook Shiro. The words hit him right in the heart, an echo of another time where Keith had been so sure Shiro would be lost to them. He’d been so scared then. Now, he felt restless and strangely calm at once, itching to…  _ fix _ . 

“Fuck…”

Keith watched as Shiro’s arm went to his shoulder. He took his prosthesis off at night because it was more comfortable for him to sleep without it, and Keith supposed it also helped if he was in pain.He looked like he was in pain. Frown lines creased his mouth, the furrow still between his brows, sweat still dotting his forehead. He wanted to help, but felt unsure about what to do. 

“How can I help…?” he asked, voice not going above a whisper. 

Shiro turned his head toward Keith, brows furrowed in pain. It took him a little while to form words and Keith waited, giving him time. It was easier for him to calm down then, knowing that Shiro needed him, that he needed to be present. 

“Bedside drawer, everything’s in there,” Shiro finally replied, closing his eyes, his hand gripping his shoulder. 

Keith rolled out of bed and went to Shiro’s bedside table. In the drawer was a small heating pad and a tin of some sort of balm. He took both out, carefully returning to bed. Shiro was struggling to sit up and Keith dropped the supplies to help. Shiro’s skin was tacky under his hands, and underneath he was warm, almost feverish. Keith adjusted his pillow behind him, making sure he was comfortable.

He leaned away a little, looking at Shiro’s face. His eyes were closed and he was breathing in his nose and out his mouth, trying to slow his heart rate. His shoulders were tense, everything held rigid, tendons standing out in stark relief under his skin, and Keith desperately wanted to make him feel better. 

Shiro opened his eyes, probably feeling Keith’s gaze on him. He seemed to relax a little, blinking at Keith, his gray eyes were filled with stress and exhaustion. 

“Balm or heat first?” Keith asked quietly. 

“Heat,” Shiro replied. 

He nodded, wrapping the pad gently around Shiro’s shoulder, asking for instructions as he went. Pad in place, he turned it on, and Shiro rested his head back, closing his eyes. 

“Keith…” he whispered, eyes still closed. 

Keith moved closer, knees gently bumping against Shiro’s thigh, and reached for Shiro’s hand, squeezing it softly. 

“I have an idea,” Keith murmured after a few moments. Shiro opened his eyes and Keith carefully helped him sit up. 

He scooted behind him, legs bracketing Shiro on either side, before pulling him back against his chest. They wiggled around a little, getting comfortable, Shiro’s head against Keith’s shoulder. He could feel the way he relaxed then, tension slowly easing out of him. 

Keith hummed softly, stroking his hand through Shiro’s hair, and started to purr. It felt much better like this, offering the comfort and protection he had been pulled to express, unsure how to name it until this moment. 

He felt Shiro let out a shaky breath and Keith pressed a kiss to his head, rubbing his chest soothingly. The room was quiet and dark. Keith counted Shiro’s breaths, keeping time. He purred, nuzzling and pressing soft kisses into Shiro’s hair, smoothing his palm over his chest, or running his fingers through his hair. They didn’t speak, not feeling the need to. Shiro’s breathing was even and calm, his hand reaching up to rest against Keith’s wrist, thumb brushing along the top of his hand. Keith made a soft trilling sound. Shiro turned his head, nose bumping against Keith’s neck, and sighed. 

“I think we can take the pad off,” he said, voice a little gravely. Keith nodded, helping Shiro sit up, and took off the pad. He watched as Shiro flexed his shoulder, rotating it, his fingers resting gingerly on his skin. 

Keith slowly spread his palm over his left shoulder blade, where the skin was even more marred because of the damage done from his Galran prosthesis. It wasn’t a pretty sight by conventional standards; the skin around his shoulder was covered in scars and burns.

He had a lot of scars, even compared to some of the BOM members he had met, veterans who had been fighting in the war far longer than they had. And each one was a testament to his survival. Keith thought they were beautiful, and he tried to make it known as often as he could, even though he knew Shiro would say otherwise, because he was still working on his own thoughts and feelings about his body, in more ways than one. But it was true. 

“Do you want to rinse off?” Keith asked softly, resting his hand over Shiro’s on his shoulder. Shiro looked over his shoulder, nodding once. 

Keith slid out from behind Shiro to land soundlessly on the carpet. He tried not to hover too much, not wanting Shiro to feel coddled or that Keith thought he couldn’t handle himself. But when Shiro would reach for Keith, he would always be there, offering him some assistance in untangling the blankets to get him out of bed. 

Shiro was steady on his feet, but he held on to Keith’s hand as they headed toward the bathroom. Keith was grateful for the hold, comforted by it. Shiro was definitely calmer, but he seemed preoccupied. 

“Lights to fifty percent,” Keith said, and the lights turned on in the bathroom. Shiro let go of Keith’s hand and sat down on the toilet lid, sighing softly. Keith’s brows furrowed, watching him, concerned. 

“Bath or shower?” Keith asked, running a hand through Shiro’s hair, watching him close his eyes, subtly leaning into his touch. 

“Bath,” he replied softly. 

Keith hummed, leaning in to gently kiss Shiro’s forehead, and turned to the tub. He adjusted the faucet and turned it on to let it run. Shiro was leaning over, one arm resting on his leg, staring at the bathroom tile. 

“Hey,” Keith murmured, “you okay?” 

Shiro looked up at Keith and nodded, looking forlorn, and Keith tisked softly. 

“It’s okay if you’re not,” he said, coming closer, smiling to himself as Shiro leaned his head forward, forehead resting just under Keith’s sternum. Keith gently stroked his hair, massaging his scalp. 

“‘M embarrassed…” 

Keith’s brows furrowed and he looked down at Shiro’s soft white hair, thumb brushing over the back of his neck, in the fuzziness of his undercut. Shiro sighed, leaning back to look up at Keith.

“I haven’t had a nightmare in months… I thought I was in the clear. I was so unprepared… and I’m sorry you have to…”

Keith didn’t let him finish. He brushed his thumb over Shiro’s mouth, smoothing over the plushness of his lips. 

“Don’t.”

Shiro closed his eyes and kissed Keith’s thumb, letting out a long breath. They had talked a lot about apologies on their way back to Earth. Shiro had been distant and Keith had been furious, full of sadness, not understanding why Shiro had been pulling away. They had finally sat down and talked about how Shiro felt about the scar on Keith’s face, about the Astral Plane, of all the damage he felt he had caused. They’d come to an understanding. There wasn’t anything, in Keith’s view, that was left unsaid between them, and Shiro’s expression reassured him that Shiro felt the same; his apology was unnecessary here. 

“Let me turn off the water, okay?” 

Shiro nodded, leaning back, and Keith leaned in to give him a soft kiss. He got a small smile in return for his efforts. 

Keith turned off the water, helping Shiro out of his pajama pants and briefs, and then into the tub. He watched him sink into the water, submerging for a few moments, and resurfacing, sighing. Keith sat at the side of the tub, watching with soft eyes. 

“I’m gonna get you a clean set of pajamas… I’ll be right back, okay?” 

Shiro pulled his legs to his chest, wrapping his one arm around his shins, looking a little more relieved, not as tense as before. 

“Okay.” 

Keith gently brushed back Shiro’s wet hair and gave him another kiss before getting up to go back to their bedroom. He tossed Shiro’s sweaty pajamas into the hamper and grabbed another set for him. He picked the lightest pair in the drawer, wanting him to be cool and comfortable.

Keith sniffed the hair on the way back to the bathroom, noticing the subtle change in scent. No more fear. Still some self-consciousness on Shiro’s part, mixed with his usual scent. He walked back in to see Shiro hadn’t moved an inch. He looked… distant, and that left a strange feeling in Keith’s stomach. He set down the new pajamas and went back to his place by Shiro to the side of the tub. 

He reached out and softly brushed his finger against Shiro’s arm. Shiro turned toward Keith, seeming to be more present now, just contemplative. He rested his head against his knees. The look on his face was soft and sad. 

“Let me take care of you,” Keith said impulsively. 

Shiro blinked at him, lifting his head, surprised. 

“Huh?”

Keith couldn’t help but chuckle, amused by the adorable look on Shiro’s face. 

“Let me take care of you,” he asserted, more confident this time, scenting the shift in Shiro, his curiosity. And Keith felt emboldened by his surprise. He could take care of him. He would prove it. 

The tension in Shiro’s shoulders eased a little and Keith was relieved that he didn’t get much resistance. 

“Okay,” he replied. Keith smiled and nodded. 

“Good.” 

He took off his briefs, gently having Shiro scoot forward so he could squeeze into the tub behind him. He grabbed Shiro’s body wash, and started in on the delicate process of washing the sweat from his skin. 

Shiro’s skin was soft and beautiful, Keith would happily spend hours touching him, unable to get enough. He knew words would do very little for Shiro, so he hoped that every touch and gesture was enough. It wasn’t easy being vulnerable, he still struggled with it himself. But Shiro showed so much trust and faith in him, and was more vulnerable with him than Keith felt he deserved. He always wanted to make sure that that trust was never betrayed. 

He made sure to rinse him off well, pressing little kisses to his newly washed skin. Shiro was quiet, blushing a delicate pink, but not resisting Keith’s ministrations. With Shiro rinsed off, he went for the shampoo next. 

Keith lathered his hands, reaching up to smooth them into Shiro’s wet hair. He took his time, making sure to massage and soothe. Shiro’s head dipped forward, eyes closing as Keith worked the shampoo in, taking his time. 

He could see the way Shiro’s shoulders had eased from their tight position, his head leaning into Keith’s touch, and the soft sighs he made when Keith hit a certain spot. Keith knew that if Shiro had any Galra in him, he’d be purring, and he was pleased. Shiro deserved to feel good, to feel relaxed. Especially after a nightmare. 

With Shiro’s hair thoroughly washed, Keith helped him rinse. They drained the water and took a moment under the shower spray briefly, getting off any extra soap and shampoo, before Keith helped Shiro out of the tub, and toweled him off. He wiped himself down quickly, smiling as Shiro shimmied into his pajamas. 

“Better?” he asked, gently resting a hand on Shiro’s back. He nodded, smiling, and curled into Keith’s space. 

“Much.” 

They hugged for a long moment. Shiro smelled like contentment. His body was warm and relaxed in Keith’s arms, and that helped him relax, too. He closed his eyes, turning his face against his neck, scenting him gently, because it felt right to do so. Keith smoothed his hands over Shiro’s back, pressing a kiss to his left shoulder. 

“Are you good?” Shiro asked, nuzzling against Keith’s hair. He nodded, giving him a tender squeeze. 

“More than.” 

Shiro pulled back to look at him. His expression was soft, a slight furrow between his brows. He reached up his hand, carding his fingers into Keith’s hair, rubbing at his scalp, the gesture making him trill and purr softly. 

“Good…” 

Shiro was smiling and that made Keith smile, too. Shiro kept his hand scratching behind Keith’s ears as they leaned together for a few more moments, and then pulled apart reluctantly when sleep began to call to them. Shiro headed back into the bedroom, activating the lights to thirty percent as Keith killed the lights in the bathroom. 

When he turned, Shiro was back in bed, holding the tin of balm in his hand. He held it up, almost expectant, more confident in asking Keith to help. 

“Do you mind?” he asked and Keith smiled, shaking his head. 

“Not at all.” 

He settled behind Shiro like before, opening the tin, and scooping some of the balm onto his fingers. He applied it gently to Shiro’s shoulder, making sure to get every inch of skin, covering the scars and burn marks. Task complete, he gathered up the tin and heating pad, putting everything away, and coming back to Shiro. 

“Lay down,” he said and Shiro did, watching Keith curiously. 

Keith crawled back into bed, scooting up close to him, smoothing his hands over Shiro’s chest. He just wanted his love to feel as handsome and loved as possible. 

Shiro’s eyes were wide, curious, as they watched Keith settle in against him. 

“Can I kiss you?” Keith asked. Shiro nodded after a moment, lifting his hand to brush it over his shoulder. 

“I trust you.” 

Keith leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Shiro’s lips. He brushed a hand over his cheek, thumb stroking against his cheek bone. 

“Shiro,” he hummed, kissing along his cheek, and then slowly over the scar on his nose. He leaned away, smiling, and Shiro smiled back. Keith cooed at him, kissing both of his perfect dimples, before trailing kisses down his neck. 

Shiro had scars all over his torso. There were more on his back, but Keith’s intention was to go slow, love on him just a little, before they settled in for sleep. Keith kissed over his clavicles, smoothing his hands over his perfect pecs, goosebumps blossoming across Shiro’s skin. 

There was a scar on his chest, right between his pecs, that Keith was intimately familiar with. He kissed down its length, feeling the slight ridge of the skin against his lips, feeling the beat of Shiro’s heart. Strong and sure. 

Shiro’s hand stroked his hair and Keith couldn’t help but purr as he continued kissing down his sternum, over his ribs, the scars there, and across his abs. He felt Shiro twitch and he looked up, seeing him biting his lip. 

“Tickles,” he chuckled, and Keith smiled. He rubbed his face into Shiro’s abs and gave him a raspberry for good measure, which had Shiro laughing his adorable belly laugh. Keith didn’t hear it nearly enough, and it made him light up from the inside out. 

“Okay, okay, I yield,” Shiro chuckled. 

Keith hummed, pressing a kiss to his hip, before scooting back up to lay against Shiro’s side. He wrapped an arm around him, holding him close, smoothing his hand across his back, and gave him a tender kiss. The kiss was warmly returned, Shiro’s hand cupping his cheek again. 

Keith pulled away slowly, bumping his nose against Shiro’s, still purring, feeling much more content and relaxed, knowing that Shiro was in a good headspace if his laughter was anything to go by. 

“Thank you, Keith,” he said softly, still smiling, dimples on display. His expression shifted, everything a bit more subdued. “Thank you for taking care of me…”

Keith brushed the backs of his fingers over Shiro’s cheek, leaning in to kiss him warmly once more. 

“No thanks required. It was my pleasure,” he murmured. 

Another soft smile and a tender kiss, Shiro gently pressing their faces close. No other words were needed. This was enough. 


End file.
